The seven questions shown in the next set of tables (Table 5.24 to Table 5.30) are a modified version of the Social Functioning section of the Opiate Treatment Index – a standardised survey instrument developed by the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, UNSW (Darke et al., 1992). This is used widely in research on opiate-using populations, including in the NSW Adult Drug Court evaluation. Together, these questions give a picture of how socially integrated or isolated participants were, as well as providing some indication of the extent to which participants were still involved socially with other drug users.
While nine participants (28 per cent) in the first interview round reported they were in conflict with their relatives and close family members often or very often, the majority of participants (21 or 66 per cent) reported they were in conflict sometimes, rarely or never (Table 5.24). The young women in the first interview group reported such conflict more often than the young men. In the second interviews, 15 out of the 18 young people reported conflict with relatives sometimes, rarely or never (83 per cent) while three reported conflict often or very often (17 per cent). Again, the young women in the group reported such conflict more often than the men. Amongst just those who were in both rounds of interviews, 10 reported conflict with relatives sometimes, rarely or never (56 per cent) while six (33 per cent) reported conflict often or very often. It would appear that for this group, conflict with relatives had lessened quite markedly since the first interview round.
Table 5.24: Conflict with relatives in the past six months
Rating 1st Interviews 2nd Interviews
Number Per cent Number Per cent Very often 6 18.7 2 11.1
Often 3 9.4 1 5.6
Sometimes 12 37.5 2 11.1
Rarely 3 9.4 8 44.4
Never 6 18.7 5 27.8
No answer 2 6.3 0 0.0
Total 32 100 18 100
Similarly, while eight participants (25 per cent) in the first interviews reported they were in conflict with friends and acquaintances often or very often, the majority (22 or 69 per cent) said they were in such conflict sometimes, rarely or never (Table 5.25).
The young men in the group reported more conflict with their friends than the young
women. In the second interviews 16 out of the 18 young people reported conflict with friends and acquaintances sometimes, rarely or never (89 per cent) while only one reported conflict very often (six per cent). While young women in the group were now reporting more conflict with their friends than the young men, overall, the group reported considerably less conflict with their friends and acquaintances than in the first interview round.
It would appear that the second interview group had experienced some stabilisation in relationships with both their friends and families since the first interview round, although gender differences were still apparent, with young women experiencing more conflict with friends and family than their male counterparts.
Table 5.25: Conflict with friends or acquaintances in the past six months
Rating 1st Interviews 2nd Interviews
Number Per cent Number Per cent
Very often 2 6.3 1 5.6
Often 6 18.7 0 0.0
Sometimes 6 18.7 4 22.2
Rarely 10 31.3 8 44.4
Never 6 18.7 4 22.2
No answer 2 6.3 1 5.6
Total 32 100 18 100
In the first interview round, 12 participants (37 per cent) said they had four or more close friends, and 90 per cent of the group (29 participants) said they had two or more close friends. However, two reported they had no close friends at all (Table 5.26). The young men in the group reported more close friends than the young women. In the second interview round eight people said they four or more friends (44 per cent), and 16 people said they had two or more close friends (89 per cent). The young women in the group reported more close friends than the young men. Of the same group in the first interviews, half the sample (nine participants) had said they had four or more close friends, and 17 out of the 18 (94 per cent) had said they had two or more close friends. These data indicate the majority of people in both the first and second interview groups were able to make close friendships, and data from the second interview group suggest these close friendships are maintained over time.
Table 5.26: Number of close friends
Rating 1st Interviews 2nd Interviews
Number Per cent Number Per cent Four or more 12 37.5 8 44.4
Three 8 25.0 5 27.8
Two 9 28.1 3 16.7
One 0 0 1 5.6
No close friends 2 6.3 1 5.6
No answer 1 3.1 0 0.0
Total 32 100 18 100.1
More than two-thirds of the first interview group (22 or 69 per cent) said they saw their friends very often or often. Only four said they saw their friends rarely or never (Table 5.27). The male participants reported seeing their friends more often than the
female participants. Similarly, two-thirds of the second interview group (12 participants) said they saw their friends often or very often.14 As with the first interview group, the young men reported seeing their friends more often than the young women.
Table 5.27: Frequency of seeing friends
Rating 1st Interviews 2nd Interviews
Number Per cent Number Per cent
Very often 17 53.1 8 44.4
Often 5 15.6 4 22.2
Sometimes 4 12.5 4 22.2
Rarely 3 9.4 1 5.6
Never 1 3.1 0 0.0
No answer 2 6.3 1 5.6
Total 32 100 18 100
Twenty-two participants (69 per cent) in the first interviews said they were satisfied or very satisfied with the support they got from their friends when they were having problems. Another four (12 per cent) said they were ‘reasonably okay’ with the support they received from their friends. Five (16 per cent) said they were not satisfied or very dissatisfied with support from friends (Table 5.28). The women in the group said they were more satisfied with support from their friends than the young men. In the second interviews 10 people said they were satisfied or very satisfied with the support they got from their friends when they were having problems (55 per cent), four said they were ‘reasonably okay’ with the support they received (22 per cent) and only one person said they were not satisfied. This compares to 13 people in the same group saying they were satisfied or very satisfied in the first interviews (72 per cent), two saying they were ‘reasonably okay’ (11 per cent) and two people saying they were not satisfied (11 per cent). Once again, young women were more satisfied with the support they received from their friends than the young men.
Table 5.28: Satisfaction with support from friends when having problems
Rating 1st Interviews 2nd Interviews
Number Per cent Number Per cent Very satisfied 5 15.6 2 11.1
Satisfied 17 53.1 8 44.4
Reasonably okay 4 12.5 4 22.2 Not satisfied 4 12.5 1 5.6 Very dissatisfied 1 3.1 0 0.0
No answer 1 3.1 3 16.7
Total 32 99.9 18 100
Over half the group in the first interview round reported they had known more than half their friends and acquaintances for more than six months (19 or 59 per cent) while 11 people said they had known about half or less than half their friends for this
14 For the participants in prison, the question was modified to take account of their circumstances and asked how often they saw their friends the last time they were in the community.
length of time (34 per cent). Only one person said they had known their friends or acquaintances for less than six months (Table 5.29). The young men reported knowing more people for over six months than the young women in the group.
In the second interview round, two-thirds of the group reported they had known more than half their friends and acquaintances for more than six months (12 or 66 per cent) while four people said they had known about half or less than half their friends for more than six months (22 per cent). Again, only one person said they had known their friends or acquaintances for less than six months. These responses also suggest some increase instability in the young people’s circle of friends and acquaintances between the first and second interviews.
Table 5.29: Number of friends and acquaintances known more than six months
Rating 1st Interviews 2nd Interviews
Number Per cent Number Per cent All of them 12 37.5 8 44.4
More than half 7 21.9 4 22.2 About half 6 18.7 3 16.7 Less than half 5 15.6 1 5.6
None 1 3.1 1 5.6
No answer 1 3.1 1 5.6
Total 32 99.9 18 100.1
Seven participants (22 per cent) reported in the first interviews that all the people they had known in the last six months were drug users (including partners, friends and acquaintances), while one-quarter said this applied to more than half the people they knew (Table 5.30). Male participants reported that they knew more people who were drug users than female participants. In the second interviews six participants (33 per cent) reported that all the people they had known in the last six months were drug users (including partners, friends and acquaintances), while two participants (11 per cent) said this applied to more than half the people they knew. A further four people said that about half the people they knew were drug users and five people (28 per cent) said that this applied to less than half the people they knew. Only one person reported that they did not know anyone who was a drug user.
While overall these data do not suggest a high degree of social isolation amongst YDC participants, the extent to which their social life is bound up with other drug users is a matter of concern. Perhaps encouragingly, graduates reported knowing fewer people who were drug users than those who chose to leave the program, and those who chose to leave reported they knew fewer people who were drug users than those who were terminated from the program by the Court. This pattern was also observable for the some of the previous social functioning questions: graduates reported having less conflict with relatives or friends than those who chose to leave the program, who in turn reported less conflict with relatives and friends than those terminated from the program by the court. Graduates also reported having more close friends than those who did not complete the program (either voluntarily or involuntarily) and were more satisfied with their friends support than those who left the program before completion.
Table 5.30: People known in the previous six months who were drug users
Rating 1st Interviews 2nd Interviews
Number Per cent Number Per cent All of them 7 21.9 6 33.3 More than half 8 25.0 2 11.1 About half 8 25.0 4 22.2 Less than half 8 25.0 5 27.8
None 0 0.0 1 5.6
No answer 1 3.1 0 0.0
Total 32 100 18 100
5.11 Participants’ Drug Use